My Name is Paul H Cosentino. I started this Blog in 2011 because of what I believe to be wrongdoings in town government. This Blog is to keep the citizens of Templeton informed. It is also for the citizens of Templeton to post their comments and concerns.

Paul working for you.

Saturday, July 1, 2017

Chris Christie Announces New Jersey Government Shutdown, Orders State Of Emergency

Chris Christie Announces New Jersey Government Shutdown, Orders State Of Emergency

Illinois, Maine, Connecticut:
the end of the old fiscal year and the failure of numerous states to
enter the new one with a budget, means that some of America's most
populous states have seen their local governments grind to a halt
overnight until some spending agreement is reached. Now we can also add
New Jersey to this list.

On Saturday morning, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie declared a state
of emergency in the state, and announced a partial state government
shutdown as New Jersey become the latest state to enter the new fiscal
year without an approved budget after the Republican governor and the
Democrat-led Legislature failed to reach an agreement by the deadline at
midnight Friday, CBS New York reports.

In a news conference Saturday morning, Christie blamed
Democratic State Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto for causing the
shutdown. And, just like Illinois and Connecticut, Christie and the
Democrat-led Legislature are returning to work in hopes of resolving the
state's first government shutdown since 2006 and the first under
Christie, before NJ is downgraded further by the rating agencies.

"If there's not a resolution to
this today, everyone will be back tomorrow," Christie said, calling the
shutdown "embarrassing and pointless." He also repeatedly referred to
the government closure as "the speaker's shutdown." Christie later
announced that he would address the full legislature later at the
statehouse on Saturday.

Prieto remained steadfast in his opposition,
reiterating that he won't consider the plan as part of the budget
process but would consider it once a budget is signed. Referring to the
shutdown as "Gov. Christie's Hostage Crisis Day One," Prieto said he
has made compromises that led to the budget now before the Legislature.

"I am also ready to consider reasonable alternatives
that protect ratepayers, but others must come to the table ready to be
equally reasonable," Prieto said. "Gov. Christie and the legislators who
won't vote 'yes' on the budget are responsible for this unacceptable
shutdown. I compromised. I put up a budget bill for a vote. Others now
must now do their part and fulfill their responsibilities."

Politics aside, the diplomaitc failure has immediate
consequences for Jersey residents: Christie ordered nonessential
services to close beginning Saturday. New Jerseyans were feeling the
impact as the shutdown took effect, shuttering state parks and
disrupting ferry service to Liberty and Ellis islands. Among those
affected were a group of Cub Scouts forced to leave a state park
campsite and people trying to obtain or renew documents from the state
motor vehicle commission, among the agencies closed by the shutdown.

As
funds run out elsewhere, it will only get worse. Police were turning
away vehicles and bicyclists at Island Beach state park in Ocean County.

A sign posted at the park entrance featured a photo of
Prieto and the phone number of his district office in Secaucus, along
with the caption: "This facility is CLOSED because of this man."

When asked about the sign, Christie spokesman Jeremy
Rosen said the governor wanted to make sure people knew why the site was
shuttered. "Speaker Prieto singlehandedly closed state government,"
Rosen said, adding that the governor wanted to make sure families "knew
that the facilities were closed and who is responsible."

Not all things will be affected: remaining open
under the shutdown will be New Jersey Transit, state prisons, the state
police, state hospitals and treatment centers as well as casinos, race
tracks and the lottery.

A major point of disagreement is the ongoing stalemate
between Christie and lawmakers over whether to include legislation
affecting the state's largest health insurer into the state budget.

Christie and Senate President Steve Sweeney agree on
legislation to make over Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, including
allowing the state insurance commissioner to determine a range for the
company's surplus that if exceeded must be put to use benefiting the
public and policyholders. But Prieto opposes the plan, saying that the
legislation could lead to rate hikes on the insurer's 3.8 million
subscribers and that the legislation is separate from the budget.
Prieto has said he will leave open a vote on the $34.7 billion budget
that remains deadlocked 26-25, with 24 abstentions, until those 24
abstentions change their mind.

Democratic Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo, of Northfield, was
among those abstaining. He reasoned that if the governor did not get the
Horizon bill, then nearly $150 million in school funding -- $9.6
million of which would go to his district -- would be line-item vetoed
out of the budget. And indeed, Christie said Friday during a news
conference that he would slash the Democratic spending priorities if he
did not get the Horizon bill as part of a package deal on the budget.
"You want me to wave a magic wand to get a budget?" Christie said. "I
can't get a budget to my desk. Only the Senate and Assembly can get the
budget to my desk."

But where things may get nasty quick, is that Christie said public workers should not expect any back pay.
"Yeah, don't count on it." Christie said of furlough pay. "That was Jon
'I'll Fight For a Good Contract For You' Corzine. I ain't him."

Meanwhile, the fingerpointing has begun, including Democrats pointing at other Democrats.

"It seems like he's just being stubborn," Mazzeo said of
Prieto. "With all due respect to the speaker, then there should be some
type of negotiations." But Prieto said it's lawmakers - fellow Democrats
- like Mazzeo who are to blame for the shutdown. He said he is willing
to discuss the Horizon legislation but after the budget is resolved.

Christie has balked at the proposal because he says
lawmakers plan to leave town to campaign for re-election and he will be a
lame duck. According to CBS, all 120 lawmakers face voters this year.
Finally, putting the sheer chaos of it all in context,
Christie who is term-limited and is expected to be out of office by
January, has his family staying for the holiday weekend in a state-owned
house at Island Beach State Park. The park is closed because of the
shutdown.